Associate Director, Regional Head SSA and SEMED

Job Posting Organization:
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is an international financial institution established in 199

• Its mission is to foster the transition towards open market-oriented economies and to promote private and entrepreneurial initiative in countries from Central Europe to Central Asia and beyond. The EBRD operates in over 30 countries and has a workforce of approximately 2,000 employees. The bank focuses on investing in projects that support sustainable development and economic growth, with a strong emphasis on environmental sustainability and social responsibility.

Job Overview:
The Associate Director, Regional Head SSA and SEMED (the 'AD') plays a pivotal role within the Funds Team, which is part of the Equity Business Group at EBRD. The AD is responsible for overseeing all aspects of the investment cycle for fund investments in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) and the Southeastern Mediterranean (SEMED). This includes origination, structuring, execution, implementation, and monitoring of investments. The AD is also tasked with business development, relationship management, and policy dialogue, acting as a primary representative of the Bank with fund managers, government authorities, and other stakeholders. The role requires effective leadership of direct reports and transaction teams, ensuring that investments align with the Bank's strategies and policies. The AD contributes to the Funds Team's strategic objectives and plays a critical role in achieving them, while also mentoring junior staff and managing their performance and career progression.

Duties and Responsibilities:
The AD's responsibilities encompass a wide range of activities, including:

• Coordination of Fund Investment Activities: Serving as the knowledge base for fund investments in SSA and SEMED, coordinating the Funds Team's activities across various strategies, and maintaining close relationships with EBRD offices in these regions.
• Structuring and Execution: Leading the structuring, negotiation, and execution of transactions, managing resources and workloads of transaction teams, overseeing due diligence processes, and ensuring timely completion of transactions in accordance with Bank policies.
• Portfolio Monitoring: Taking overall responsibility for monitoring investments, managing relationships with fund managers, and resolving any monitoring issues.
• Business Development: Engaging in proactive marketing and business development efforts, representing the Bank at industry events, and supervising the screening of investment proposals.
• Staff Management: Recruiting and mentoring junior bankers, ensuring quality work and appropriate workload distribution, and fostering productive relationships within the organization.
• Policy Dialogue: Contributing to the Bank's policy dialogue efforts to achieve objectives defined in relevant strategies or initiatives.

Required Qualifications:
Candidates must possess either a Master's degree or a Bachelor's degree with relevant professional experience and/or additional qualifications such as CFA. They should have at least ten years of experience in fund investment and fund manager selection, ideally with a strong track record in Africa. Essential skills include gravitas, relationship management, negotiation, excellent judgment, strong quantitative skills, stakeholder management, coaching and mentoring abilities, and the capacity to work under pressure. Proficiency in English is mandatory, while knowledge of French is advantageous.

Educational Background:
The position requires a Master's degree or a Bachelor's degree in a relevant field, complemented by significant professional experience in fund investment. Additional professional qualifications, such as the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation, are also considered beneficial.

Experience:
The ideal candidate should have extensive experience in fund selection and investment from an institutional investor, fund-of-funds, or multilateral/national financial institution. A proven investment track record and a network of fund manager relationships in Africa are essential. The candidate should also demonstrate the ability to manage senior-level relationships and effectively guide transaction teams.

Languages:
Fluency in English is mandatory for this position. A good command of the French language is considered an advantage, enhancing the candidate's ability to engage with stakeholders in the relevant regions.

Additional Notes:
This position is a regular contract role based in London, with a contract length that is not specified. The role allows for partial remote work in accordance with EBRD policies and requires frequent business travel to Africa and other locations. The EBRD promotes a diverse and inclusive work environment and encourages applications from qualified candidates regardless of their background.